Ratchet-type pipe cutters are known in the prior art. Such pipe cutters generally comprise a split-ring cutting head provided with one or more cutter elements and adapted to be clamped about the pipe to be cut. A separate handle is coupled to the cutting head after it is clamped about the pipe for manually rotating the cutting head to cut the pipe. A ratchet coupling arrangement is provided between the cutting head and the handle to produce unidirectional rotation of the cutting head in response to rotation of the handle about the pipe.
Such ratchet-type pipe cutters can be advantageously employed to cut pipe in close quarters. The ratchet feature of such pipe cutters is especially advantageous in situations where complete rotation of the handle about the pipe is impossible due to nearby obstructions. The split-ring structure enables the pipe cutter to be used to cut pipe in installations where it is not possible to slip the cutter over a free end of the pipe.
Although ratchet-type pipe cutters potentially have significant advantages, such pipe cutters have not experienced widespread commercial acceptance. The lack of success in the marketplace has been due primarily to the complicated structure of the prior art devices which has made such devices expensive to manufacture and difficult to operate. For example, the complicated structure of previous ratchet-type pipe cutters has required extremely inconvenient and time-consuming procedures in installing such devices on pipes to be cut. Moreover, the prior art devices have been prone to slippage of the handle from the cutting head with the accompanying danger of accidental injury or damage.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a ratchet-type cutter which is simple in design and convenient to operate to cut pipe in close quarters.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ratchet-type pipe cutter incorporating a split-ring cutting head and a separate handle adapted to positively engage the cutting head to prevent the handle from slipping off the cutting head in operation.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a ratchet-type pipe cutter incorporating an improved ratchet mechanism wherein an annular cutting head is provided with a plurality of peripheral teeth and the handle includes at least one gripping element engageable with the peripheral teeth of the cutting head and a ratchet member spaced from the gripping element and provided with inclined teeth to provide a unidirectional rotational coupling between the cutting head and the handle.
A further object of the invention is to provide a ratchet-type pipe cutter wherein a split-ring cutting head includes a clamping screw to fasten the cutting head about the pipe to be cut and the handle includes a permanently mounted screw operating device for tightening and loosening the clamping screw.